Taipei, Aug. 23 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian told visiting Japanese guests Thursday that reform cannot be accomplished without bitterness.
Chen said that all the financial and economic issues facing Taiwan will be resolved after all the conclusions from the Economic Development Advisory Conference (EDAC) scheduled to open Friday have been thoroughly implemented.
These conclusions will lay the foundation for Taiwan's future economic development, he added.
Chen made the remarks while receiving members of the Japan-Taiwan Parliamentarians Amity Federation set up in May by Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) parliamentarians and scheduled to be inaugurated Friday.
Chen said the federation will greatly help promote cooperation and exchange of parliamentarians between the two countries. "I have attached much importance to relations between Taiwan and Japan since I assumed the presidency," Chen went on, adding that in addition to setting up an ad hoc committee on Japan to be presided over by Presidential Office Secretary-General Yu Shyi-kun.
This, said Chen, indicates that the ROC government and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) attach much importance to developing relations with Japan.
Koki Kobayashi, head of the federation, agreed that the federation will help further promote relations between Taiwan and Japan.
He expressed hope that Japan will strengthen cooperation and exchanges with Taiwan and said Chen's farsighted viewpoint on relations with Japan will have a positive impact on Japan and the whole of Asia.